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Join us for some fun and frights this Halloween. Remember, we have everything that you will need to create that unique scary look – full outfits, masks, accessories, special FX make up artists and face painters. Come and see The Attic Fancy Dress Shop on the 3rd floor & American Graffiti on the 2nd for some great ideas.

Remake Remodel are opening a shop on the 3rd floor and will celebrate with a launch party on Thursday 25th September with Remake Remodel club night DJ’s, there will be free drinks and cupcakes for customers.

Remake Remodel will bring the very best in Rock & Roll attire, vintage, handmade and screen printed clothing along with some great accessories.

Anybody spending £50 or more will receive a £10 goodie bag.

Visit Remake Remodel The Shop on the 3rd floor by The Attic fancy dress shop.

There are some great new additions to discover at Affleck, on the 3rd floor you will find NotonyourSkin selling unique custom made engraved glass, the very talented Simon will engrave anything that you want on to glass items, just tell him what you want! Freak Boutique also on the 3rd floor have relocated to a larger unit by the cafe and have introduced a Mystical Zone to compliment their Alternative Fashion and Accessories, here you will find Pagan related goods along with a Tarot Reader and Medium.

On the second floor just follow the enchanting aromas that will lead you to Soap Deli, here you will find a range of pampering products such as hand made soaps & bath bombs. Also on the 2nd floor is Doll Season, exclusive hand made design’s by local designers and some great framed tattoo artwork.

If you are looking for a fun look for this years Pride Festival then look no further than Afflecks – you will find exactly what you need to make that statement and stand out proud in the crowd.

With a great selection of fancy dress available from American Graffiti and The Attic, Afflecks is without a doubt the best place to shop.

You will also find the very best in fashion from Vintage to Street Wear, Manchester’s finest Tattoo Studio and a great piercing studio, T-shirt printing, excellent artwork, vinyl’s, café’s, you name it, we have it!

We are a UK based independent brand and have created an identifiable image which we want to become a part of skate/street culture. All of our products are available on knowyourpattern/bigcartel.

“You are individual and progressive, with a style to be seen and remembered, one that pushes boundaries and breaks rules, you’ve already been there and explored the landscape now make it yours, because at the end of the day, that board won’t flip itself and that bike won’t build itself and that beer won’t drink itself!”

Why did you choose to base your shop in Afflecks?

It looked like a good, diverse place full of interesting people and almost feels like its own community, people that like to stand out and make a statement. I thought my brand would suit well to the Afflecks aesthetics.

What was your inspiration for setting Know Your Pattern up?

I have always loved clothing and wanted my own label. Even as a kid I would design stuff and give it to my mum who was a seamstress to make.

I spent lots of years playing in bands and creating different logos for stuff then one day, the know your pattern idea entered my head. I was just thinking about having a striking memorable image with a slogan that said be yourself and enjoy what you do and that’s where Know Your Pattern came from. My love of skateboarding made me want to produce the limited edition boards, I’d always wanted my own deck with the logo on so I looked at the best place in the world to get them pressed and that was Los Angeles

So I spoke to the guys out there and they pressed me a limited run from Canadian maple it’s the best stuff for skateboards.

What do you do outside of Afflecks?

I play in band called What Lays Dormant. We have an EP coming out next month; it’s very alternative rock sounding. I also play solo acoustic songs and create art under the moniker: Shima Uma art project, it’s mainly ceramic and mixed media pieces. I am also a massive Volkswagen fan, so I like to work on my mk2 golf and hang out with the other VW dudes!

Tell us a random fact?

All know your pattern tee shirts are made from 100% tee shirt with no added preservatives!

Kat has recently joined the Afflecks family on the third floor. Kat has brought in her own clothing as well as showcasing other independent labels.

Tell us about Style Hut

Style Hut is the home of British independent fashion. We bring together the best products from the best independent clothing brands in the UK. We have a wide selection of T shirts, vests, hats, hoodies, and lots more. All our products are unisex and vary in price, so there’s something to suit every pocket whether you’re male or female. We also offer a custom design service. Our customers can choose a T shirt colour, then pick from a selection of fabrics, and we will hand sew the fabric into a unique design on their T shirt.

What influenced the shop?

I started my own clothing line a while back called Love is Love Clothing. My initial idea was to raise awareness of equality through fashion, with 10% of my profits going to LGBT charities in the UK. I was only selling my range online but the website wasn’t getting as many hits as I’d have liked. I wondered how many other small brands were out there with the same problem as me. So I did my research, found numerous brands online that had amazing products but unfortunately not much publicity, and decided to open my own store where I could bring a handful of these smaller brands together; Style Hut was born!

Why did you move into Afflecks?

I’ve been coming to Afflecks for years and I love the place. It’s got a great atmosphere and there’s something different around every corner. Even though I travel in from Chester each day, it’s definitely worth it. It’s a great place for small shops and businesses to start off from, and seeing so many businesses here that have been around for years is really inspiring to see.

What do you do when your not working in Afflecks?

Well I run the shop by myself, six days a week. So life outside Style Hut is pretty non-existent apart from Sundays. I tend to sleep, catch up with friends, then sleep some more! Very exciting I know.

Tell us a random fact

One random thing I can never understand about myself is that I was born and raised in Wales, yet I am the only person out of my entire family and friend group that DOESN’T have a Welsh accent. Not even in the slightest!

A fact I’m proud of (and sometimes kick myself over) is that I once applied for The Apprentice as a joke. I got accepted! But turned it down because I wasn’t prepared to get fired on national TV!

No Angel on the 1st floor was set up in 1995 by Amy Wainwright, a fashion graduate from Salford University. Over the years the business has grown and has become a showcase for new designers.

Tell us about No Angel

I opened my shop with a friend in 1995 on the second floor but then decided to branch out on my own. I started selling small independent brands that I sourced from places like Spitalfield Market and magazines.
I expanded to a bigger space in 2002 and then started my own wholesale brand which I sold to boutiques around the country through an agent. I also made a lot of my own items.
I opened a shop on Oldham Street a few years ago and left Afflecks, but I missed this place and I’d always done better business here so it was great when the opportunity arose for me to return.

Why Afflecks?

I left university after doing fashion design and decided to sell my own things Afflecks offered low start-up costs and cheap rent, I also love the independent feel here.

What do you do outside of Afflecks?

Being a mum of two keeps me busy

Do you have any inspirations?

I have always loved Manchester and the ever changing in fashion, in the late eighties it was such an exciting time at Afflecks; the whole ‘Madchester’ era which Afflecks was a big part of.

Tell us a random fact

The most famous customer I’ve had was Debbie Harry AKA Blondie. At the time I was selling T-shirts with a print of her face on it, she very kindly signed one!

Ella and her boyfriend Luke started up Unexampled Apparel with the intention to create unique ‘one offs’. They started their business online and sold at various markets, but made the move into Afflecks recently.

Tell us a bit Unexampled Apparel

Unexampled Apparel is run by me and my boyfriend. The reason we started this is because I lost my job running my own tea room; it all went wrong- the building was falling apart, so we had to close! I was skint! I had to make money so turned to making clothes. We bought some vintage clothes and customised them, we also started to make clothes from scratch. We promoted on Facebook where people would ask for custom items, we followed on by getting an Instagram and then set up an Etsy shop where we just had beanies, T-shirts, stuff like that. We’ve only been going for about a year.

We make everything from scratch. We don’t print screen any designs; if we do want a design on clothes, you sew it on!

Why did you choose to base yourself in Afflecks and not just sell on Etsy?

I needed to be out of the house and get feedback from people instead of it all just being online. You can get days where no one will be searching for the things we sell. I wanted a base and also somewhere where I can get all of the sewing stuff out of my house! We wanted somewhere of our own where we can be around people. We do a lot of custom orders for people and I think by doing this has got us ‘out there’ more.

What do you do outside of Afflecks?

A lot of the time I go home from here and pretty much work at home as well! I am the world’s most boring person! I do work at work and go home and do more work! I do love it though.

I get the chance to go to fashion events, which is good to get feedback off people and advice.

Do you have any inspirations?

It sounds stupid but most of the inspiration for stuff like this is through social media. For example the kind of thing you see on Tumblr. A lot of it is retro inspired but then trying to make it more modern and putting our twist on it.

Tell us a random fact.

I own nearly 30 wigs. And half of them I made.

You can find Unexampled Apparel on the second floor of Afflecks. You can also find out more on their Instagram and Facebook!

Messy Uncut is built on Omani’s love for body art and face paint as well as sketching. Messy Uncut consists of Messy Makeup, Messy Artwork and
Omani has also brought in Messy Photography. Omani’s work shop is based on the 1st floor of Afflecks and she will always welcome you with a different face! This girl loves her paint!

Tell us a bit about Messy Uncut
So we do face painting, and body painting. I do face painting throughout the week for kids and events – so holidays like Easter for example. We have another face painter called ChikaChuko- she’s great, she has lolly pop hair! Apart from that, I do sketches for: new born babies, pets, couples, friends, families, loved ones, anniversary’s, memorials – anything really. The way I do it is by using a photo, so I’d ask whoever it is to send me / bring in a photo and it takes me probably about 5 hours to draw up! However, my goal is to learn how to do it from life. I also hire out a shelf in my workshop to other artists who want to sell their hand made products. It’s good to help them and see how well they sell.

Why did you choose to base yourself in Afflecks?
I chose Afflecks because it didn’t have anything like this; it doesn’t have face painting- nothing interactive! I remember when I wanted a sketch portrait once and I came to Afflecks straight away thinking, “Oh they’ll do them in Afflecks.” They didn’t and it’s a niche market! This is the perfect market for what I want to do.

What do you do outside of Afflecks?
All my services are for media advertising, events, occasions and production. I do work outside of here for the commercial side.

Do you have any inspirations?
My dreams are a massive inspiration. For my face painting and body painting my inspiration would be UK Body Painting League which is a community of body painting artists that get together and help get each other’s work out into the media as well as help body paint! it’s a great networking event. They really inspired me to push what I do. And face painting – just painting! You’re painting on something that moves!

John Clarke’s photography studio has seen many famous faces, including the likes of Johnny Vegas and Rufus Hound. John’s passion for his work has taken him to many places around the world and has given him the chance to meet so many people. His studio, Resurrect Studios is based on the fourth floor of Afflecks and he’s the man for all of your photography needs!

Tell us a bit about your studio?well I just moved my studio to the 4th floor so I can get a bit more privacy I was getting tired of being confused for the tattoo studio. I offer reasonable priced shoots from makeovers to birthday party fun shoots and also product photography. I have a few of the North West’s best makeup artists that work with me to produce some stunning portraits for the clients.

Why Afflecks?At the time of starting my studio, I had just finished college doing my NVQ 2 and 3 in photography and thought, ‘Why has there never been a studio in Afflecks?’ it would be the perfect place for a studio and with Afflecks being the place to start new business ventures I thought, ‘why not ask?’ And I did! Luckily Tony the building manager said ‘yes’ and I’ve never looked back since.

What do you do outside of Afflecks?I travel a lot doing my own client’s. Shoots last year saw me travel to Iceland, Sweden and Istanbul. This year I’m going to Istanbul again, the USA and maybe Japan if things go well.

And, tell us a random fact!I traveled across turkey for a few months on horseback. I also helped the Welsh channel S4C win a Bafta for the best multi angled sporting event a few years ago.

You can check out all of John’s work and more information on how to book a shoot with him on his website.

The Three Minute Theatre is a cosy, independent theatre based on the ground floor of Afflecks. Ran by John and Gina, the theatre is made up of entirely recycled products and even has its own bar. The theatre is non-funded and has been very successful so far!

How long have you had the Three Minute Theatre?
We got the keys in April 2011. We were previously located on the third floor of Afflecks in a small unit, selling off some of the costumes and props from our former career in professional music and cabaret. The front of the shop was turned into a tiny theatre. We put on our first Three Minute Theatre Festival in October 2010. The idea was to attract people up to the third floor which was at that time still being developed. The plays only lasted 3 minutes and were spaced out all day to give people a chance to browse the shops.

Tell us a bit about the theatre?
We went from an empty shop in April 2011 to an internationally recognised, award winning 60-70 theatre, cinema and music venue with a licenced bar and a programme of events. We range from new theatre, comedy, film events, poetry and spoken word festivals, political and social events: It’s been a pretty hectic three years!
The 3MT has twice hosted the 24/7 Theatre festival and is the home of the renowned Manchester Shakespeare Company whose second production ‘Before Juliet’ opens on 17th March. The in-house development programme nurtures local talent and develops work to a professional commercial standard. Regular monthly events support local artists, graduates, students, actors, film makers, writers and musicians and provides a starting point for anyone interested in a real career in the arts. Pulse Mcr is the 3MT’s production company and is currently producing 4 new plays by first time local writers. The 3MT’s third International Women’s Week Festival takes place from the 3rd March with a host of diverse events celebrating women’s creativity and diversity.

Expect the unexpected!

Why did you choose to home the theatre at Afflecks?
We knew Afflecks from the eighties and it was our first port of call when we decided to relocate to Manchester. The massive and continuing support we found from all the Afflecks team has been one of the key factors in the success of the 3MT. Afflecks supports and nurtures new businesses in the same way that the 3MT supports and develops new talent. Our relationship with Tony Martin and his team has been one of the most satisfying and inspiring parts of this adventure, from applying for planning permission and licencing all the way through to developing our recycling workshops. We don’t think we could have done this anywhere else. The very idea of an independent, non-funded theatre in the city centre of Manchester, putting on radical new work, developing new ideas, creating new theatre, music, film and performance and providing a space for the vast and diverse creative talent of Manchester people to blossom is continually inspiring to us. And where else is it going to be? Afflecks of course.

What do you do outside of Afflecks?
Sleep! We also go to the theatre (not this one).

Give us a random fact!
We appeared in a television documentary about Ibiza when performing our cabaret show out there. It’s still out there somewhere…

Find all listings of upcoming performances and more information on the 3MT website. Also you can find them on Twitter.

Kathryn and partner Phil both agree that ‘Vintage fashion isn’t about wearing ‘old’ clothes, it’s about mixing old with new to create that unique look.’ Which is exactly why they set up their own vintage clothing stall on the second floor called Kuhl Vintage. The two officially launched in August 2013 with their first vintage sale in Salford, now they are based in Afflecks and haven’t since looked back!

What can you expect to find at Kuhl Vintage?We specialise in men and women’s vintage fashion and accessories from the 1920’s through to the 1980’s. We handpick all our items with an emphasis on style and quality. At Kuhl Vintage we source those harder to find items in order to give our customers that unique, stylish and ‘standout from the crowd’ image they are looking for.

Why the choice to sell Vintage Clothing?Phil – I’ve always had a passion for vintage clothes and that coupled with an innate desire to ‘look a bit different’ (even in my teens) meant I was usually found scouring the town for bargains . I’ve always appreciated the quality and style of vintage fashion and love the way it can be mixed with new items to create a completely different look. The skill and workmanship that goes into vintage items is something you just do not find today.

What do you think will be classed as ‘Vintage clothing’ in about 50 years?Any thing that has stood the test of time, is in good condition and still has the ability to make you look stylish.

Why did you choose Afflecks?Quite simply it is the best and most iconic retail venue for vintage fashion in the North West…coupled with the fact it is our favourite place in Manchester!! Shopping and great milkshakes, what’s not to love?

What do you do outside of Afflecks and Kuhl?Phil – Apart from my ‘day job’ as an IT consultant for a large American corporation, I spend my free time with my partner and Kuhl Vintage business partner Kathryn….looking after our children and constantly sourcing new and exciting fashion items for our store.

Kathryn – There is very little time left after Afflecks and Kuhl but I have to admit I love to bake! Our life is quite full on, but when we can, Phil likes to indulge his passion for art and music, we absolutely loved last years Manchester International festival – our high light was definitely watching Goldfrapp perform.

Tell us a random fact about you both!Phil – I love all things Art Deco.
Kathryn – I learnt to pole dance last year.

If you want your one off Vintage pieces, pop in to see Kathryn and Phil, we know they won’t disappoint. You can also find Kuhl online and why not send them a Tweet !

Victims of hate crime are being given more opportunities to report incidents in confidence as part of a campaign to raise awareness of the problem.Afflecks is the latest of third party reporting centres that are expanding across Manchester, the centres are safe and neutral locations within the City where victims who have been targeted because of their race, religion, sexual orientation, subculture or disability can report incidents to trained staff who are able to give support as well as passing details on to the police.

Afflecks General Manager, Tony Martin said “We want to make sure that we portray the message that hate crime has no place in society, we want victims to be able to come forward and report incidents and we are happy to be able to offer a safe and neutral setting for this to take place”